Sterling at Lima Beads?

Here at Lima Beads, we’ve been getting a lot of requests lately to carry sterling silver. This is something we’ve been considering for a long time, but we need your help!

What kind of silver would you like to see at Lima Beads? We’re thinking of carrying the following:

Head pins

Wire

Chain

Clasps

Ear wires

What are we missing? We would like to start of with a full line of standard items in standard sizes and branch out from there. Our goal is to allow our customers to get as much as they can in one place to save on shipping and time!

We’re especially excited about the wire — it will go nicely with our upcoming line of Cabochons.

Please let me know what you think. If you’d like to see a certain item in sterling or even a specific brand of silver, tell me in the comments.

Yeh!!!!! I can’t wait! Wire, chain and ear wires without question will be wonderful additions to your line. I’m looking forward to some spectacular new clasps too, as I can never have enough of those. But, most of all, I’m looking forward to head and eye pins in a variety of lengths. I hate having to cut a pin because it’s too long (the frugal yankee in me) for what I’m creating.

DITTO re what Leslie says!!! I buy my hardware at [competitor name omitted], but only beads at Lima. Your quality is SOOOO much better. I also am at the 200 level, the prices are good, their silver quality is good. Argentium silver would be so very nice! Would love to see more variety in copper too. I would add jump rings in copper and maybe brass or stainless steel; am getting into some chainmail adventures! We want it all! good luck on the new additions!

I would be thrilled to use Lima for all my beading needs. I too have been using [competitor name omitted] for silver and would love to support you all instead. The things I use all the time include headpins 2 & 1.5 inch 24 & 26 guage. Lots of clasps, silver spacers, wire-half hard, cones – things with an up-market-southwestern feel are also something I look for. I also use a lot of jump rings. Silver connectors and drops. Anyway I’d love to see you expanding into this area because your quality can’t be beat.

Wow, this will be great. All of the above, the different gauges of wire, maybe some silver charms too, I add them a lot to pieces or use them on earrings. Findings, findings, findings. Its nice to order all you need for a piece together. Also more brass and copper findings, and loving the new gunmetal stuff. Great to watch a wonderful compay grow. A big thanks and keep up the good work.

I agree with Leslie, Bonnie, Caryn and CAS.
Your beads are superior in quality and I’m just not so sure about using [competitor name omitted]. I am usually disappointed in something in every order.

Not so with you guys. I am much more confident in what you bring us.

I’d also love to see 2 to 8mm round and maybe some tube/barrel shapes in sterling beads. And some with a southwest feel would be great. Basically everthing else everybody has already requested.
Thank you, thank you for bringing us the beads!!
Peace,
Mary S

I think it would be great to be able to order sterling silver from LimaBeads. I use head pins in 20 and 22 gauge, all gauges of wire, rounds, spacers and clasps ALL the time. Keeping the costs at a good market value is important, but sterling silver that is high quality is important too. I like cones, and often want small cones or reducers and it is hard to find them at an acceptable price. I order 3-4-5 mm silver balls and daisy spacers all the time and it would be great to be able to have LimaBeads, a trusted source, fill my orders for these as well.

Could you please please please please sell Snapeez? They also now come in some great rose gold and black colours too……pleasepleaseplease? They’re awesomely easy jumprings that snap closed..great for us arthritic old folks:)

If you carried the basic sterling silver items, such as crimps, crimp covers, jumprings, split rings, lobster clasps, seamless beads, wire, etc. I would have more time to create instead of shopping on different sites. Great idea! However, please don’t sacrifice the quality and selection of great beads.

I also would love to see snapeez jump rings, both sterling and their new ultra plate. I use tons of ball- head head pins in 24 ga. 1 1/2 inches is best for me. I also have a hard time find the same item in gold filled. I really like the twisted crimps. They work very well and look great with out a crimp cover. I like the idea of tarnish resistant wire as well. 24 & 26ga are what I use most.

HI KEVIN,
WE NEED STERLING SILVER EARRINGS, TOGGLES (THAT ARE GOOD QUALITY AND NOT SO OUTRAGEOUW), EYE PINS AND HEAD PINS, CRIMPS, AND CRIMP COVERS. THESE ARE ESSENTIAL TO ALL GREAT JEWELRY MAKERS. WE WANT OUR DESIGNS TO LOOK EXPENSIVE, SO THIS SHOWS ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
THANK EVE

It would be wonderful if you would carry silver. It’s hard to find decent silver that can be shipped so quickly! Beads, spacers, everything that you carry in copper. More gold spacers would be nice too! Keep up the good work!

I am thrilled to hear you are thinking of adding a sterling line. I have always thought that would be a great additon.
If you are going to carry the staples – one thing to add is jump rings in all different sizes and weights. I agree with the post above – things that most beaders like to keep on hand are the round sterling balls in 2mm, 3mm, and 4mm. And the flat daisy sterling spacers in 2mm all the way up to 8mm. I use the round sterling beads in all my jewelry when I’m finishing a piece I put a small round ball, my crimp tube and then another small round ball and then I attach the clasps. It makes a nice finished look and keeps the crimp off the stones – helps to keep the crimp from rubbing on the stone beads. This is especially nice if you are using pearls. ANYWAY – great idea. Can’t wait. The gemstones you carry are the best. I have NEVER been disappointed with anything I have purchased. The next thing you might consider adding to your site – is some finished jewelry – made with the fresh picks. Give us beaders some ideas and inspiration.

crimps, crimp covers,soldered (closed) rings to go with lobster style clasps, toggle clasps, spacers, and seamless beads – 2-5mm …
i happen to love hill tribe silver because of the good it does for those who craft them… and i think the look of them is so unique… they have some interesting clasps, like their square clasp… it is turned on its side like a diamond… i sometimes find that this shape will stay closed better than the rounds…
best of luck… love your site and support!

All of the above would be great additions to the site. All of us use these findings probably in each piece we create.

I am a “Findings” seeker. I would absolutely love to see unusual pieces, especially if they can be used in a design more than one way (for instance – a different placement of the holes so the piece can “flip” from one design to another).

All in all, I think that the addition of silver to the site would be awesome.

It would be wonderful if you carried sterling silver!! This would allow me to do one-stop shopping which is always ideal. I love Karen Hill Tribe silver. Please consider jump rings in various sizes, chain, smooth and decorative balls, lobster clasps, toggles,and earwires. I enjoy shopping with Lima’s and this addition would really be helpful!!

Silver would be awesome!!! Anything you can manage would be welcome! I would love to do 1 stop shopping with you. Basics like you mentioned, plus seamless rounds, saucers, crimps etc. Any and all unusual beads and findings too would be great!

I don’t do too much blog posting, but I have to say you are the ONLY site I use to buy beads. You have a great selection of gemstones, with lots of unusual/hard to find items! I order with complete confidence and I know I’ll be getting top quality when it comes. Also, the speed with which orders arrive is amazing.

it would be simply lovely to have access to any and all of the sterling silver products that you will choose to carry as your collective taste in beads is in a level unsurpassed by other bead companies. thank you for feeding my eyes and sense of creation.

Even basics in silver would be helpful. I’d love to be able to buy half hard and dead soft wire in sizes 24g to 18 g. by the foot. I like Argentium. Assorted lengths and gauges of head pins and eye pins would be handy. Really nice silver beads and spacers and bead caps would be great. Earwires—I like good quality plain French wires and plain leverbacks. As far as sterling beads–I like the Hill Tribes beads a lot. I would want to be able to buy small quantities. I make mostly earrings, and if I have to buy a bag of 50 pieces of something I’ll usually pass. It would be great to be able to buy stones and silver from the same place. So please, go for it! Many times when I’ve placed an order with you I’ve wished you sold silver. Thanks.

ok everyone, I have an update. We’ve been reviewing samples for a few weeks and I think we’re just about ready to get our initial line of sterling! It’ll take a while to get here as it is manufactured and shipped and then we will need to photograph it all, but I wanted you to know that the ball is rolling!

Thanks again for your awesome feedback. It truly helped us with our decision making.

I’m looking for eggs, so naturally, I’m seeing the entire website; I’ve stumbled across this thread, and decided to add my 2 cents: BRING ON THE STERLING!! Wire would be fantastic, as well as an item that is so very hard to find:
size 15 Charlottes! I know it’s a long shot, but thought I’d try.
ok. back to hunting!

I too missed this blog the first time around. But as I was
looking for eggs I found this. I know the competitor they
are speaking of as I too order from them but am disappointed at times with the order. I would definitely
order from you as I love your website and would love to do
one stop shopping.
Pretty much ditto what everyone else has said, but would add that my favorite sterling silver wire is the
argentium silver. It works so well, and if virtually tarnish free. LOVE IT!!!! Also any findings in argentium silver would be great. Also some Bali silver.

I too missed the original blog… but I’ve been reading what everyone else and I have to agree… Sterling and 14k gold filled. Wow!! I can hardly wait. If it’s of the same quality as all your beads, I won’t ever have to shop anywhere else! WTG Lima Beads!!

Wow I just skimmed through this I guess you are thinking again of maybe carrying solid silver findings, wires, etc. I would like to ad my $0.02 worth. There is an item that allows a pendant to be removed and placed, and the pendant is now called an inhancer instead. Then I agree with everyone else go for it. Please and Thank You Very Much

Hey all sorry for the late response, you know I would be thrilled to see sterling wire here, also other kinds… I have to order from so many different places to meet my needs, so if you had wire that would really help..Just ask me what kinda of wire.. I will tell you!!!!! Thank You Lynn